All the details that go into planning a wedding can be surprising to the groom. Some grooms have trouble getting into wedding planning because they are not really concerned with some of the details such as the colors, décor, etc. They are usually just more excited for the actually day and seeing friends and family. There are a few details that are worth caring about that don’t immediately come to mind.Coordinate with your caterer to have food put into take out boxes for your bride and yourself to enjoy after the wedding Chances are that you and your bride will be talking, dancing and moving about the entirety of the wedding. Many forget to eat! Talk to your caterer or day of coordinator and have a portion of the appetizers and the entrée selections put into take out boxes for you both to enjoy once the event has ended. Take the time to enjoy the food that you ordered and talk about the happenings of the day and night together. This is such a small detail but is most definitely worth caring about!Consider having a shuttle service for all guests for after the reception Having a shuttle for guests for after the event are great for a few reasons. Some guests may have traveled from out of town and have no idea where they are. Giving them the shuttle option takes the worry away for these guests to be able to find their way back to the hotel or where ever their accommodations are. Another very important reason to have a shuttle is to take the chance of someone driving after having too many cocktails. Weddings for the most part have a bar and dancing. People are celebrating the beginning of your marriage! Sometimes they forget they need to go home afterwards. The shuttle is one of the safest options to get them there!Consider the time of year when choosing your honeymoon destination It is very important to think about the time of year you plan to travel on your honeymoon. When you decide on your wedding date you can consider the weather at the destination you would most like to visit. Another popular option is to have a delayed honeymoon. This would ensure that you get to go to the top choice destination and not have to worry about the weather. Research the places you would like to visit and make note of their weather, rainfall and if it is their high tourist season. Attending to these small details really adds something special to your wedding day and will not go unnoticed. Your bride will be thanking you as well as your guests for thinking of them. Thinking ahead of the weather of your intended honeymoon spot will also help to ensure you not only enjoy your honeymoon but it will hopefully exceed your expectations. While planning your wedding, you will find there are many details involved, but as the groom, there are definitely a few details worth caring about.

by Jessica SagerThe bachelor party is the last boy’s night out before the wedding. In the movies, these groups of guys travel to different cities and usually don’t really remember what they even did. In reality, there is no one type of bachelor party, even though the movie scenario may happen sometimes. The most important ‘I Do’ for the groom is at the wedding, but there are a few ‘I Do’s’ that are involved in bachelor parties. It can be as knowing exactly what they want to eat for dinner or a particular bar they want to end the night with. They don’t generally seem to care too much about all the details of a bachelor party but they do seem to have strong convictions on one or two details. So naturally I went right to the source and asked real grooms weigh in and tell me what they said ‘I Do’ to wanting to include in their bachelor parties and found a few interesting answers!

“As long as my best friends are there and we spend some quality time together, I’ll be happy…and some good quality beer like Wayerbacher Merry Monks. I’m looking forward to checking out this blueberry beer from Jessup’s Tavern in Old New Castle and filling my growler with their Ommegang Fire and Blood Red Ale, their Game of Thrones themed beer. I can’t wait!” - Jack, New Castle, DE

I was dead set on Savannah, Georgia from the start for the best St. Patty’s Day celebration in the country. We rented a van to all road trip down together. Hanging out and drinking with the guys was top on my list.”- Pat, Philadelphia, PA

“My bachelor party is going to be a weekend at the beach. Lots of time on the sand, and maybe hit a few bars at night. The most important part of it for me is having my friends there, since even fun activities can be ruined by not having the right people there. Drinking games or whatever with buddies, reliving college again I guess. Maybe we’ll go fishing or something like that? I’m up for anything!”- Michael, Washington D.C.

“I wanted to be at the shore for my summer bachelor party. I wanted to go wave running, fishing, BBQ and relax with my friends!”- Mark, Philadelphia, PA

“I wanted three things: red meat, gin and scotch So we went to Fuego de Chao for the meat, a fancy bar, Prohibition, for the scotch, and ended the night at a pub, O’Donovans, for the scotch.” - Rick, St. Louis Park, MI

“I did not want to travel far or make my friends have to travel too much. Going to Philly meant everybody was able to come for a whole weekend. One night we stayed in and got take out, played video games and played beer pong on the back deck. The second night, we went out to bars in a limo. It was great.”- Zack, Wilmington, DE

By Jessica SagerThere seems to be a lot of pressure to pick out the right gift to give to groomsmen and for good reason. Bridesmaid’s gifts are easy. They usually receive some sort of embroidered bag, filled with jewelry to wear the day of along with other goodies such as makeup or nail polish. Guys simply do not usually want that. They don’t want to choose something that is too “silly” or is a waste of money. This can be made easy if you don’t over think what you are giving! Try to break it down and simplify the direction you want to go with your gift.Something for the day of the wedding. Many grooms give shoes out as a groomsmen’s gift that they are required to wear the day of! It’s an easy gift, once you know their shoe size! Or another gift could be engraved cufflinks they wear with their rented tuxedo. Tall socks that are unique to the group, such as their college, favorite sport’s team or even just a crazy pattern are also a fun gift. All if the ideas also convert into fun wedding photos for the guys!Something for the after party. A great groomsmen’s could be something they need for after the wedding. Whether it be their favorite beverage in an engraved flask or a customized shirt to change into, it will definitely be appreciated. Engraved cigar holders with a celebratory cigar inside are a great gift as well. Something forever… or at least a few years. Gifts that men can use long after the wedding are always a good idea. One idea is engraving a money clip with the groomsmen’s initials. Try to think of something they would like to have that has something to do with a personal hobby, such as golf. Another popular gift for 2014 is cooking or grilling gifts for men. Personalized aprons or a set of grilling tools are unique and fun.

The History…Groom’s cakes are a fun way to showcase the groom during the wedding. There is quite a bit of history that goes along with the tradition of the groom’s cake that most people do not know or overlook. Traditionally, the groom’s cake was a dense fruitcake with fresh fruit, which then evolved to a combination of chocolate cake with fresh fruit. During the wedding, the cake was then cut up and given to the groomsmen. The remaining cake was divided and placed in individual boxes, and given to all the single women wedding guests. They were then to place their piece of groom’s cake under their pillow in hopes of dreaming of the man they would marry.

Today…I sat down with Dana Herbert owner of Dessert by Dana in Wilmington, Delaware to get his take on the transition of the tradition of the groom’s cake and his experiences working with real brides and grooms to make their groom’s cakes! Dana, also known as “The Sugar Daddy”, and Delaware’s “King of Cakes” has an impressive resume. Most notably he won TLC’S Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker, and just last week appeared on The Rachael Ray Show. On the show, Designer Nate Berkus tasted wedding cakes from Dana and two other bakers, choosing Dana’s as his favorite! I was so excited when Dana said he would love to speak with me concerning this month’s Groom Zoom featuring the Groom’s Cake.

How have you seen the traditional groom’s cake evolve since you began Desserts by Dana? Well, the groom’s cake really began as a southern tradition. Usually they were very simple. Now we see the cakes to have much more design to them. They are 3-D and showcase hobbies of the groom such as cars or sports. We see a lot of chocolate and red velvet, but we are seeing other flavors as well. If the groom loves orange creamsicle flavor, we can do that. It’s all about what the groom.

How would you like to see more brides and grooms incorporate the groom’s cake into their weddings?I mostly see the groom’s cake presented at the rehearsal dinner. That’s what I did for my wedding. It’s nice to have it then because it doubles as a dessert at the rehearsal dinner and gets more attention.

What was the most interesting groom’s cake you were ever asked to create?There are so many. Usually they are sports or college themed, especially when the college had a huge football program. One cake I created for a couple was based off this house from their college. They gave me a picture of this old house with dirty, old couch on its porch. The groom and groomsmen that had lived there were blown away when the cake was brought out. That was a really fun cake to design.

Which detail, if any, of the tradition of the groom’s cake would you like to see be brought back into style?I’m really indifferent to bringing anything back into style. I love to design and bake unique cakes. I guess it’s the artist in me, but groom’s cakes now are just so much more detailed and that is what I love to design. It would be funny though to see the single ladies taking the cake home to put under their pillows.

By: Jessica Sager Most grooms can't wait to help with the planning of the honeymoon or at least help pick the destination. There are hundreds of resorts or hotel destinations around the world and it can be hard to figure out which is best for you and your bride. Just follow our top tips for planning your ideal honeymoon and sit back, relax and enjoy with your new wife! Hear from real grooms as they give you a look into why they chose their honeymoon destination and their favorite excursion or activity!Choosing YOUR perfect destination Basically you can choose to go anywhere in the world whether it be tropical, exotic or somewhere on your bucket list. Read reviews from past vacationers and take time to view all the websites for the resorts or hotels you are considering. Don’t forget to take the weather into account for the time of year you are looking to travel. The location can make all the difference in making your honeymoon amazing. Make sure it holds all the amenities that are important to YOU! Make your honeymoon STRESS-FREE Do the research on activities, excursions or restaurants before you even step on the plane or in the car. Usually the resorts or hotels have a concierge or someone who can direct you to the best spots. Reach out to them before you arrive so they have options ready for you at check-in. There may be special options for honeymooners! Speak to the locals and ask what they recommend to do! CHECK your passport’s expiration dates Can you imagine looking at your passport and realizing a week before your wedding it is expired? This detail can be overlooked when planning your wedding. Make sure yours and your intended’s passport is not expired. Speaking of her passport, make sure she does not legally change her name until you return from your honeymoon. Her ID and passport need to match to return to the country so this detail is important.Don’t be afraid to MENTION it’s your honeymoon Honeymoons can be expensive! Just mentioning this when booking your room can automatically get you specials add-ons or an upgrade. Ask if there is a special honeymoon package that you may enjoy. People love to see happy couples and want to help make it memorable for you. Enjoy the special (and sometimes FREE) treatment!What the Grooms had to say!

"Jamaica is a wonderful paradise that offered us a great combination of luxury and affordability. The resort coordinated a scuba diving excursion for us which was a big highlight for me on our honeymoon." - Rob, Honeymoon in April, Jewels Dunn River Resort, Ochos Rios, Jamaica

“Hawaii wasn't my first choice for honeymoon destination. Europe would have been my preference. Happy life happy wife I guess. Of all the activities in Hawaii, Mauna Kea was top of my list. I read others comments online, which directed me to other websites. We drove 10,000 ft up the side of this dormant volcano to the observatories that lead to prime star galaxy. Nothing compares to viewing the stars so vividly that it appears as though God left brushstrokes when painting the Milky Way.”- Mike, Honeymoon in September, The Fairmont Orchid Resort, Hawaii

“We went to New Zealand because of the adventure aspect and outdoor activities but mostly because we knew we wouldn’t get to spend 2+ weeks together just the two of us for a while afterward and wanted to take advantage of that. When booking our trip we used a travel agency called Uniquely New Zealand because we planned to stay and visit more than just one city. We stayed at multiple hotels and Bed & Breakfasts in the Nelson, Kaikoura, Christ Church, Wanaka, Mt. Cook and Dunedin areas, so their help was amazing when it came to where to stay and what to do!- Geordie, Honeymoon in December, New Zealand

“We picked NYC for a few reasons. We see a baseball game every 4th of July, so going to NYC meant that we got to see the Mets on our honeymoon. We also went to see shows, eat the great food, and see the sights. I mean who wouldn’t want to be in NYC for the 4th?” - Rick, Honeymoon in July, Yotel Hotel near Times Square, NYC

“Punta Cana was the perfect honeymoon destination for us because it was somewhere neither of us had been before and the outdoor activities looked interesting. We took advantage of the resort’s concierge and set two excursions to Santo Domingo and Catalina Island through them.”- Jake, Honeymoon in January, Grand Occidental Resort, Punta Cana

“We chose Thailand because I've heard it is absolutely amazing ...super cheap, great food, extremely pleasant locals, tons of culture, and the beaches and sights are stunning. Favorite excursion has to be "elephant trainer" for a day where we spent a full day with our own personal elephant that involved everything from riding them bareback in the jungle to even bathing them in a waterfall. Fortunately the owner (Peter) of the Guesthouse/Resort we found on Trip Advisor - The Secret Garden - booked this excursion in advance for us. We were fortunate he did since Patara's Elephant Trainer for a day is the #1 "must do" attraction in Chiang Mai according to Trip Advisor.”- Sean, Honeymoon in October, The Secret Garden Resort, Thailand

with Len Brown from Collars ‘n Cuffs of Wilmington Delaware By: Jessica Sager Let's face it, the bride does most of the planning for the wedding. The groom absolutely weighs in on most decisions, but generally the bride is the one who dreams up all the possible ideas for color schemes, music to be played and the decor for ceremony and reception. One element of the wedding that really is up to the groom is what he will wear! Here are 5 tips to picking the perfect tuxedo or suit for your 2014 wedding from Len Brown from Collars n' Cuffs, a men's formal clothing store located on Market Street in Wilmington, Delaware. For more information about Collars ‘n Cuffs please visit http://collarsncuffsonline.com/. 1. Compliment your Bride – It is so important to choose the right color vest, tie or bowtie, and pocket square to compliment your Bride. Len highly recommends that if your bride is wearing an ivory gown, he should pair his tuxedo with an ivory vest, tie and pocket square. “When the Groom takes off his jacket at the reception, he will be just as eye catching as his bride with the ivory vest. Everyone in the room will be able to spot him.” 2. Choose the best style for your body type – “In the 2014 season, the leading style is the very fitted tuxedo. The best and only way to find out which tuxedo style is best for you is to come in, show me what styles you lean towards and try them on.” 3. Color of the Tuxedo depends on the Season – “When you choose a tuxedo other than the classic black, you really have to think about the season. “Let’s say you are getting married in the spring and you are leaning towards a grey tuxedo. Your choices are to either go with heather grey or a darker charcoal grey. Heather grey is the perfect choice for a spring or summer wedding, while charcoal tuxedos are more of an autumn or winter wedding choice.” 4. Suit vs. Tuxedo – “Most people choose to go with the tuxedo, but there are still a few grooms who prefer the suit. This choice highly depends on the venue, the bride’s gown, and the bridal party’s dresses. If the wedding is more formal or the bridal party has long dresses, the groom and groomsmen should absolutely choose a tuxedo. Suits are popular for the smaller more casual weddings or even destination weddings.” 5. So what’s the Price? – “Your wedding will probably be the most expensive event you ever put together. Why wouldn’t you make sure the Groom has the perfect look for his wedding day. We work really hard to make sure we help the groom not only find the look he wants but the price that works for them as well.” Collars ‘n Cuffs offers a tuxedo package for the men in the wedding that includes everything they need for that day except socks and underwear. The groom’s tuxedo is free when 5 or more of the groomsmen rent their tuxedos with Collars ‘n Cuffs!

Groom Zoom: Buying the Ring!

Are you getting ready to propose to your true love and the idea of shopping for the perfect ring is just too much? This is understandable because diamonds come in all different shapes and sizes and the settings they are mounted in can be simple to extravagant. Jewelers are a great resource for any question you may have about these details.

We spoke with Dale Bellinger from Bellinger's Jewelers and asked him what his advice to grooms would be about buying the perfect ring. Check out what he said are the 4 things a guy need to knows BEFORE shopping for the ring!

4 Things a Guy Should Know Before Shopping for the Ring

By Dale Bellinger

Bob came in, picked a ring he could afford and out the door he went. NOT ANYMORE!! Often times you and your intended have been sharing many decisions on where to live, finances, etc. So why wouldn't you involve her in this one as well? So you want to "surprise her". Ok, but you've got to do some homework.

Listen to her, learn her preferences as to stone shape, settings, mountings and metal choices.

Involve her closest confidant or, gulp, your future mother-in-law.

When it comes to the engagement ring, it's been suggested that the equivalent of two months salary is what can be budgeted towards the purchase of this all important symbol of your love. The key word is "budget". You don't need to saddle yourself with interest-laden debt especially if you shop locally. As a member of the Maryland, Delaware and Washington D.C. Jewelers Association, or Chamber of Commerce, your local jeweler will not only provide you with payment options but share with you the all important knowledge they possess regarding ring selection, precious metals and of course DIAMONDS. Avail yourself the opportunity to establish this potentially life long relationship. "Service after the sale" is no small matter.

Presentation is now almost as important as the symbol of your adoration , so make it a day, or moment, to remember. After all, she's the one and only, so make her feel like it !!!

This is the perfect time to visit Bellinger's Jewelers as they celebrate the season with their 39th Annual Sale now in progress. Learn more by visiting their website www.bellingersjewelers.com

Donna Duffy & Pat Howes

Pat and I started Memorable Milestones Event Planning a few years ago. We met when my family returned from life in the Middle East. Pat re-patriated me to American life. We became fast friends with common interests and similar backgrounds. A few years of hosting events together, not to mention all we had each done on our own, gave us the courage to step out and start our event and travel planning company. Since then we have also started two other companies; Academic Connections Tutoring and 3E Marketing Solutions. We have enjoyed working with all of our clients throughout Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore.